لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًۭا قَرِيبًۭا وَسَفَرًۭا قَاصِدًۭا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُ ۚ وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ
Kalau yang kamu serukan kepada mereka itu keuntungan yang mudah diperoleh dan perjalanan yang tidak seberapa jauh, pastilah mereka mengikutimu, tetapi tempat yang dituju itu amat jauh terasa oleh mereka. Mereka akan bersumpah dengan (nama) Allah: "Jikalau kami sanggup tentulah kami berangkat bersama-samamu". Mereka membinasakan diri mereka sendiri dan Allah mengetahui bahwa sesungguhnya mereka benar-benar orang-orang yang berdusta.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Why Hypocrites would not join in Jihad
Allah admonishes those who lagged behind and did not join the Prophet for the battle of Tabuk, those who asked the Prophet for permission to remain behind, falsely pretending to have legitimate reasons to do so,
(Had it been a near gain), booty right in front of them, according to Ibn `Abbas,
(and an easy journey), travel for only a short distance,
(they would have followed you.) But,
(the distance was long for them), to Ash-Sham,
(and they would swear by Allah), when you return to them,
(If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you), had not there been a valid excuse, we would have gone out with you,
(They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.)